St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-11-02
THEY WANT EQUAL RIGHTS.
Colored Citizens Organizing a League
in Their Own Interests.
ARE THEY MUCH ABUSED?
Committees Appointed--ApportiOn
for State Conventional
Spicy Session.

and. as such. are entitled to the rights
and privileges accorded all men under
the stars and stripes"
So spake the colored man of st. Paul
last night, and he proposes to fight it
out on that line until the long-talked-of
question of civil and legal rights is set
tied, or, at least, results in some benefit
to him.
About 100 representative cOlOred men
in the Building Society hall
on Robert street last evening to take
preliminary steps looking to the forma-
ton of state civil rights league. Rev.
William Gray seemed to be the
leading spirit and called the meeting to
order az follows: "Gentlemen-In pur-
suance of our adjourned meeting of
three weeks ago we meet here tonight
to take steps relative to our rights as
American citizens. 1t is a fight in
which we can all unite, and unless it is
agitated now, we will fall short of our
expectations"
A committee on permanent OrganiZa-
ton was appointed and reported on the
following officers: President, Rev.
William Gray; secretary, w. II. Butt;
assistant secretary, S. w. Mckinley.
While the organization was being eff
fected Mr.. Price Williams arose and
said: Taking into consideration the
question of our civil and legal rights,
it is very tickliSh one to
handle. Let us be prudent, resolute and
determined, and when the time comes
to act, let us act unitedly. Let us first
find out what rights have been invaded,
who has invaded them, and the charac-
ter of the men who done it."
There was slight lull at this point,
and the audience improved the OppOrtu
nifty to
HAVE SOME FUN
with one of the men who was extremely
clowniSh because of the ardent he had
swallowed. This struck Mr.. Butt in the
wrong spot, and, highly indignant, he
shouted,
"We came here as men, not as chill
dren. We did not come here to laugh
and talk like parcel of school boys,
but came here to solve our rights as citi-
zens. L contend that you men ought to
have sense enough to know how to be-
have and look at the thing in serious
light
President Gray broke in with the re-
mark: ,..,
Gentlemen, please save your orator.
icals for the convention. If you tell
everything you know now, you won't
have anything to say when that time
comes"
THAT'S all right" shouted Ed
Wright, the funny individual referred
to, ''but you are out of order, Mr.. Pres
ident."
The president sat on Wright without
hesitation, and then appointed the fol-.
lowing committee on apportiOnment and
address: F. Parker, Price Williams,
n. F. Butt, j. II. Cunningham, E. p
Wade, John Adams and Peter Harris.
They asked for further time to prepare
the address, but reported the appOrtion-
ment of delegates as follows:
Counties -Hennepin, Is; Ramsey. 20;
Washington, 81 Freeborn. 3; Pope, 3; Rice,
5; Winona, 5; St. Louis, 5; Steele. 2.
"l's all right, Mr.. President" said
Wright, with smile that cavOrted
about the table for awhile; ''but you've
had all these things cut and dried. Go
ahead. but YOU can bet I'm goin' to fight
everything"
He was admonished to keep the cash
in his face securely closed, and relapSed
into his corduroy coat, and it became
necessary to appoint large fireman
master-at-armS to preserve order. Price
Williams exposed the seat of his CHI air
for the second time.
ssMr. Chairman" said he. 81 move
that the word 'cOlOred be dropped from
to-night's proceedings. There is no
such thing as a colored man in the stat
utes of Minnesota. We don't go into
court as colored men, but as American
citizens. We meet here, not as colOred
men. but as citizens of Minnesota who
have been wronged."
..Mr. President" said Mr.. Butt, in
a stern voice, Il am surprised that the
gentleman makes any such mo-
ton. We all know that in all
the fine hotels, ETC., we are
excluded. not because we are American
citizens. but because we are black men.
Even an Irishman, in his dirty, greasy
clothes, can enter these places and no
objection is raised. We will maintain
our rights as cOlored men. As cOlOred
men we will make broad, square fight.
| don't want to be identified with the
white man. | am a cOlored man and
proud of it."
Mr.. Saunders and his fur coat arose.
Mr.. Saunders is very intelligent man
and is looked upon as one of the smart
est cOlored men in st. Paul.
Il think before we begin to do any
thing" he said. lit is best to first find
out what we are talking about. What
would the people think of us, if we
asked the country to give us an equal
rights bill? That means that we can
enter any mans house as his equal and
SUP AT HIS BOARD.
Why. to ask such a thing we would act
as though we were blindfolded and try
ing to butt our brains out. The United
States has given us civil rights bill,
but, L say, can not present us an equal
rights bill"
Capt. S. W. McKinley-We are not
here to establish a precedent to fight the
law. We came here to establish state
civil rights league. We meet as free
born American citizens, and have a
right to be protected under the glorious
stars and stripes. We don't want col
orcd rights; we don't want eolOred lib
erty; but we want the rights of Ameri-
can citizens.
Williams tried TO speak again, and so
did Saunders, but tile president stated
positively that they both had ''spoke"
enough. Much indignation was eX-
pressed against Williams for his motion
10 strike out the word "colOred."
L. +. Parker-I regret that Mr.. Will
Jams has put such motion. We should
stand shoulder to shoulder as colored
men. Let us understand that we are
co!ored American citizens.
That's all right" said Wright,
Were not human and there's no use
tryin' to be-" The sergeant-at-arms
gathered up Mr.. Wright and the bal
ance of his talk
AND ELECTED THEM ALI.
from the room, willie all sorts of dark
looks slladowed him to the street.
Sam Hardy made the hit of the
evening.
You should not strike out the word
color l am a colOred man from way
back and pretty we'll colored at that. l
am black as the ace of spades. We are
not here as Irishmen or Swedes. We
are colored men and that's what we'll
remain"
ssMr President. 7 wOuld like TO rise TO